Court Gavel. May 14, 2016. (Photo by wp paarz from www.weisspaarz.com)Court Gavel. May 14, 2016. (Photo by wp paarz from www.weisspaarz.com)
Chatham

CK OPP officer going to trial for deadly shooting near Ridgetown

A Chatham-Kent Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officer is going to trial following a deadly shooting on Highway 401 almost two years ago.

Sean O'Rourke, 56, is charged with manslaughter and criminal negligence causing death in connection to the fatal shooting of a 25-year-old man in July of 2021.

O'Rourke was responding to a reported gas theft near Ridgetown when the victim was shot in the upper torso. The man who was shot later died at Chatham-Kent Health Alliance.

Two publication bans are in place that prohibits any publication of information that could identify the victim or witnesses and another prohibiting the publication of any evidence heard during the pre-trial stage.

A date for O'Rourke's trial will be set May 29, 2023.

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